Valve locking device



Dec. 5, 1939.

W. BRAUER VALVE LOCKING DEVICE Filed May 1, 1937 grwcwtom 1 55 There is a tubular Patented Dec. 5, 1939' a PATENT- orncr. v

VALVE LOCKING nnvrcn Walter Brauer, Oklahoma City, Okla. Application May 1, 1931, Serial No. 140,098

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a valve locking device and has particular relation to novel means for releasably securing a valve assembly in position in a conduit.

The invention is particularly applicable forlocking the valve assembly in the conduit through a drill pipe float joint or through a drill collar,

casing shoe or other pipe collar or coupling.

, Another object of the invention is to provide novel -means whereby the valve assembly may be reelasably locked in place in the conduit through a collar, pipe coupling or other tubular member.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel and releasable locking device which may be effectively used for locking any type'of valve assembly in place in a conduit.

With the above and other objects in view, the

, invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangementof parts, an example of which is given, in

this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a vertical sectional view oi a coupling showing the valve mechanism locked in operative position, and

Figure 2 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Referring nowmore particularly to the drawing, wherein like numerals oi reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral l designates a coupling member adapted to be interposed between the connected sections .or parts 2 and 3 and to be connected thereto by a means of standard threads 4, 5. The coupling member i has an enlarged inside cavity 6, both ends of which are annularly beveled asshown. Above the cavity 8 the inside diameter of the coupling i is reduced. to a bore which is only slightly larger in diameter than the upwardly gp tapering valve l. Above the cavity 6 the bore through the coupling member I is enlarged forming an annular upwardly facing inside shoulder 8. A resilient valve seat.9, tubular in form, is fitted downwardly through the bore of the coupling member l and the upper end of thisseat is externally enlarged forming the downwardly facing shoulder it) which rests on the shoulder 8. The seat 9 is shaped to fit snugly within the bore of the coupling member I and its lower end is flared outwardly and flush with the tapered wall at the upper end of the recess 6 so that the upwardly tapering surface of the-valve 1 will fit closely against the lower end of the seat 9 when the valve is in closed position.

ider ll iormed of rigid material which is fitted downwardly into the upper end of the seat 9 and whose upper end is enlarged to fit closely withiiithe bore of the joint I thus forming an external annular shoulder l2 which rests on the upper end of the, seat 9. The '5 lower end of the spider is outwardly flared and spaced slightly above the tapering surface of the valve 1, when the valve is closed, to allow for resilient expansion or the seat under pressure of the valve.

I The upper end of the spider has a centrally located bearing l3 which is anchored in place by the arms or bridges H, which may be formed integrally with the spider and with the bearing l3.

0n the bearing 13 there is a spring housing l5 whose lower end is inwardly thickened forming a, flange l6.

Upstanding from the valve 1 there is a valve stem l1 which works through the bearing l3 and 20 which is closely surrounded by the flange l6 and the upper end of the stem I1 is formed with a conical head iii.v A coil spring is closely surrounds the stem l1. The flange l6 forms a spring seat and the spring is interposed between said 25 seat and the head 18 and is surrounded by the housing ii. The spring normally maintains the valve 1 in closed position.

The wall of the bore through the coupling l is provided with an inside annular groove 20 30 above the valve assembly. This groove is provided to receive a lock spring 2|. This spring is substantially circular in shape but is open at one side as more clearly shown in Figure 2 with its free ends inwardly turned. Its inside diam- 35 eter is somewhat less than the; inside diameter .of the bore of thecouplingmember l and also less than the maximum outside diameter of the spider ii so that when it is inserted into place;- lt will lock against the upper end of said spider. 4,0 In assembly the valve 1 may be fitted against the lower end of the seat 9' and the spider and spring housing assembled with the spider fittedinto the seat as shown in- Figure la The stem H, with the spring thereon, may then be fitted 5 downwardly through the bearing l3 and screwed into the top of the valve so as to give the spring the desired compression to hold the valve closed. The valve mechanism, as thus assembled, may

then be inserted'into the coupling I before the-60 section 2 is screwed intoplace. The lock spring 2! may then be contracted and inserted downwardly through the bore of the coupling member l and when it registers with the .groove 20 it will expand and seat itself in said groove and tion will bedeflned will thereafter. lock against the upper end 01' the cagsoastomaintainthevalveassembiysecurely in place.

Upon disconnection oi the section 2 the lock spring 2| may be readily contracted and removed and the valve assembly lifted out as a unit. The inwardly turned ends of the lock spring 2| form convenient means for the engagement of a hand implement therewith such as a pair of pliersfor contracting and removing the lock Spring.

Obviously theinvention is susceptible of-embodiment in forms other than that which is illustrated and applicable for uses and purposes other than as detailed; the drawing and description being intended merely as a disclosure of what is now considered a preferred form of the invention while the broad principle of the invenbythe appended claim. What I claim is: The combination with a tubular member hav-- ing an inside upwardly facing shoulder, a valve ,bly bodily e into the member onto said shoulder and bodily removable from said member, said assembly including a tubular resilient valve seat mounted for enagement with said shoulder, a tubular spider fitted through the seat and having" an external shoulder which rests on the seat, said tubular member having an inside annular groove, an ble lochng ring open at one side and having its free ends overturned, said ring being insertable in the groove for cut with the upper end of the spider to retain the assembly in the tubular member, said groove being so positioned that the ring therein, when d with the spider will hold the spider tightly gainst the resilient seat to hold the same under compression, said valve assembly also including a downwardly opening valve member yieldingly supported on the spider, said valve ,member including a valve stem threaded on its lower end for ment with a valve member.

' V WAL'IER. BRAUER.

threaded engageg0 

